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Entries from October 2012

October 30, 2012

It was an awesome week here at the Robins-Starr Humane Center with 51 adoptions! Although we didn't meet our goal of 65 adoptions, we did unite 18 dogs and 33 cats with permanent families. To finish off our busy week, the Erie Insurance "surpise and delight" team returned to surprise a few lucky adopters by paying for their adoption fees. Thanks again, Erie Insurance!

Adoption specials

Thinking of adopting a dog? October 31 is the last Waggin' Wednesday of the month, where all dogadoption fees are reduced by 15 percent. If you'll be dressing up for Halloween, come to our adoption center in your costume and your adoption fee will be reduced to $31 for any dog or cat!

Come find our Tail Wag'N at this Sat., Nov. 3 for Petsmart's National Adoption Weekend! We will have dogs and cats available for adoption from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the PetSmart at 11740 West Broad Street, Henrico, VA 23233 behind Short Pump Town Center.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

October 23, 2012

We blew right past our goal of 65 adoptions and found forever homes for 79 pets! We were very happy to match 28 dogs and 51 cats with families this past week. Our goal for next week is 65 adoptions.

Erie insurance “surprise and delight” team visits the Richmond SPCA

As some of you already know, we have a special tradition here at the Robins-Starr Humane Center that is part of every adoption. When an adoption is complete, new pet guardians ring the bell in our adoption center to celebrate and let everyone know a dog or cat is going home. This past Sunday, an extra surprise was built into that sound of success for a few lucky adopters. The Erie Insurance “surprise and delight” team gave these new pet guardians the good news that Erie would be paying their adoption fee!

The Erie Insurance “surprise and delight” team goes out into the community and performs good deeds. This great group of representatives came and spent a few hours in our adoption center waiting to surprise people once their adoptions were complete. We were excited to take part in the fun and very thankful that Erie’s team thought of us and our pets. Thank you, Erie Insurance! Here are some of the delighted faces we caught on camera:

Adoption specials

During the month of October, we have two ongoing adoption specials. Wednesdays this month are Waggin' Wednesdays, and all dog adoptions are discounted 15 percent. On Feline Fridays all cat adoptions will be 15 percent off the regular $99 adoption fee. All pets adopted from the Richmond SPCA are already spayed or neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations and microchipped. Learn more about our adoption process on our website.

The Richmond SPCA's mobile adoption vehicle, Tail Wag'N, is on a mission to find homes for our shelter pets. Join us this Saturday, Oct. 27 from 12 - 2 p.m. at the Goochland Sports Complex for the Goochland County Fall Festival. The Tail Wag'N will then be at Dominion Chevrolet Buick GMC from 3 - 5 p.m. for their Safe Kids day. We will have adoptable dogs and cats at both events.

October 19, 2012

On Thursday morning, I spoke, along with many other opponents of the cruel practice of fox penning, at a meeting of the Board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The DGIF has never actually put the issue of fox pens on the Board’s agenda in 2012 even though they were asked to look into the matter during the last session of the General Assembly. Since this was the last meeting of the year, people concerned about the cruel practice of fox penning came to speak to the Board and ask them to place a moratorium on the issuance of fox pen licenses and to begin to change the regulations that permit this practice in Virginia. At the Thursday morning meeting, there were more than twice as many public speakers opposed to fox penning as there were speakers who support this cruel behavior. After the public comment period was over, the Board decided to have the staff of the DGIF solicit more public comments and come up with recommendations regarding possible new or changed regulations on the subject during the coming year. This will not change the fact that a bill will be introduced again during this coming session of the General Assembly to have the legislature institute a moratorium on the issuance of more fox pen licenses.

While a moratorium would be a good thing and better than the current situation, the best approach would be for our state to simply outlaw the unethical practice of fox penning which has already been outlawed in Florida. Fox penning is simply not hunting and bears no relationship to mounted fox hunting or any other form of traditional hunting which honors the ethics of fair chase.

Any reasonable person would actually think that fox penning would fall under the terms of our felony animal fighting law here in Virginia. The abhorrent practice of catching live wild foxes, releasing them in an enclosure where there is no escape and then setting large numbers of hounds on them to chase them until they are caught and often torn apart limb by limb is bizarrely one that is currently licensed by Virginia through the DGIF. And, yet, it is impossible for anyone to articulate why this practice does not fall within the precise terms of the Virginia felony animal fighting statute.

The most remarkable moment of the public comments made before the DGIF Board on Thursday morning occurred after the large group of fox penning opponents had finished. Kirby Burch who is the president of the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance and a loud defender of fox penning went on a tirade about how this issue was being pushed entirely by the Humane Society of the United States (ignoring entirely that I and a large number of other speakers not associated with the HSUS had just finished speaking against it). He urged that no compromise whatsoever on the issue should be tolerated and then likened those who oppose fox penning to Adolf Hitler – I am really not making this up. Mr. Burch apparently is not familiar with Godwin’s Law which is a well circulated Internet adage that once someone makes a reference to Hitler in support of an argument he has lost all credibility and has lost the argument.

After the public comments were finished and the proposal for the DGIF staff to come up with recommendations had been passed, Scott Reed the Chairman of the DGIF Board urged that both sides in the matter seek to find a reasonable solution and to treat each other respectfully. I agree with him completely and note that it is the advocates of fox penning, not the opponents who are engaging in irresponsible rhetoric likening people of good intentions and compassion for animals to Hitler and labeling them as terrorists. Such hyperbolic and incendiary language is unacceptable and leads to no positive outcomes for anyone. Certainly not for the animals.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

October 16, 2012

Although we didn't make our goal of 80, we did do 55 awesome adoptions! 20 dogs and 35 cats found their forever homes. Our goal for this week is 65 adoptions. You can help us as we work toward our goal this week by sharing the story of your own Richmond SPCA alumni or chosing a pet from our website to share and promote through social networking. All dogs (www.richmondspca.org/dogs) and cats (www.richmondspca.org/cats) available for adoption are displayed on our website!

Did you know October is Pit Bull Awareness Month and that the Richmond SPCA is the local organization that saves the most lives of pit-bull-type dogs in our area annually? We have many adorable pitties currently available for adoption. Visit our Facebook page to see some of our pit-bull-type dogs. They perked up those ears when they heard this month is about eliminating stereotypes and opening hearts!

Adoption specials

During the month of October, we have two ongoing adoption specials. Each Wednesday this month is Waggin' Wednesday, and all dog adoptions are discounted 15 percent. On Feline Fridays all cat adoptions will be 15 percent off the regular $99 adoption fee. All pets adopted from the Richmond SPCA are already spayed or neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations and microchipped. Learn more about our adoption process on our website.

Off-site adoption events

This Friday, Oct. 19, the Tail Wag'N will be at James River Cellars for Fridays on the Patio. The beautiful wainery's patio sets the scene for this monthly event featuring local musicians, light food, wine tasting and good cheer. Bring a picnic and some friends (admission is $10/person).

Join the Richmond SPCA for a dog-friendly walking tour of Monument Avenue this Saturday, Oct. 20. The Valentine Richmond History Center invites you to bring your dog along for this walking tour of Monument Avenue. Space is limited and reservations are required for all History Hounds walks ($10/person). Richmond SPCA representatives will be there with a dog available for adoption.

The Tail Wag'N will be at William Fox Elementary School this Saturday, Oct. 20 for World Habitat Day! Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity is holding a family-friendly event in honor of the holiday. We will have dogs and cats available for adoption.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

October 13, 2012

Today's guest blogger is Laura Donahue, Virginia State Director for the Humane Society of the United States.

Say the words “animal fighting” and many know exactly what we’re talking about, but say the words “fox penning” and most will be shocked that this cruel activity is right in our backyard.

Fox penning, the releasing of dogs inside fenced enclosures to chase down – and often rip apart – captive foxes, happens right here in Virginia. It’s terribly inhumane to the animals and dangerously risky for surrounding wildlife. Food stations attract wildlife, including bears, into the electric-fenced pens where they become trapped and risk being mauled by dogs. Devastating diseases like rabies have been directly linked to fox pens. On top of all that, dogs are often run to the point of exhaustion and those that don’t perform well are often dumped on shelters or left in the woods.

With your help, we can send Governor McDonnell the clear message that fox pens do not belong in Virginia.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

October 12, 2012

The Fur Ball is a wonderful occasion every year, but the Fur Ball that occurred this past Friday was a truly special and glittering one. We are very proud of the fact that the readers of Richmond Magazine have voted our Fur Ball the best event in Richmond and we want to be sure that it continues to be enthusiastically attended and supported. So, we work hard to be sure that we keep the parts that have become beloved traditions and always add new touches that make for some fun surprises. This year, the additions were especially delightful.

First, while the guests were having cocktails in the gorgeous Rotunda of the Jefferson, they were caught by surprise when a flash mob broke out! The staff of the Richmond SPCA, and a couple of our Board members too, started dancing to a great Hall and Oates song at the foot of the staircase. The shock and delight on the guests’ faces was really fun to see and we all had a wonderful time letting them know that “You Make My Dreams Come True”! The flash mob was followed by our biggest and most adorable pet parade ever down the impressive Jefferson staircase.

When we were in the Ballroom before dinner, there was a speech by our Honorary Chair Tom Farrell, the President, Chairman and CEO of Dominion, that was both witty and also deeply inspiring. His wonderful words about the national prominence and impact of our organization were greatly appreciated. The remarkable piece de resistance of the delicious dinner that followed was a dessert composed of a treat jar made of edible chocolate filled with delicious chocolate truffles and capped with a chocolate lid. What a work of art by Jefferson pastry chef Sara Ayyash.

After dessert, Linda Hobgood spoke to the group about her and her husband Jim’s beloved dog Lily whom they adopted from us after she was treated for a huge assortment of injuries and ailments she sustained as a stray. Lily was the perfect example of the crucial things we accomplish for homeless animals with the money that the Fur Ball provides to our Cinderella Fund each year. Linda spoke movingly about all the joy that Lily has brought to their lives and the wonderful life she now has which could never have occurred without the support provided at last year’s Fur Ball.

Following Linda’s beautifully chosen words, the group got to see the video that was made by our remarkable director of communications Tabitha Hanes and Eric Stegleder about the extraordinary things that this organization accomplishes for animals and for people each year. It is a delight to watch and provides great insight about the Richmond SPCA. You can watch it right now even if you did not attend the Fur Ball (or if you did and just would like to see it another time) by going to our home page (www.richmondspca.org). After huge applause for the video subsided, Mark Mottley and Greg McQuade led us through one of the most successful and delightful live auctions that we have ever had at a Fur Ball.

Fur Ball 2012 was a great occasion for about 425 people and 45 pets in attendance. We have the remarkable Pat Manning, our superb Fur Ball Chair, and the amazing committee who works with her to thank for it all. The bottom line financially is that we raised $479,000 which will be used to give life saving veterinary care and loving rehabilitation to thousands more pets just like precious Lily Hobgood in the coming year. The bottom line for the guests who attended is that they had delightful surprises, a delicious dinner with fantastic wine, an evening that will provide lasting wonderful memories and the best part of all: their generosity will save the lives of thousands of wonderful animals who depend on the Richmond SPCA when they have no one else to look to. And we will be there for them.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

October 10, 2012

Lily with Jim and Linda Hobgood at the Richmond SPCA Fur Ball on Oct. 5, 2012

After their dog Henry passed away unexpectedly in February, Linda and Jim Hobgood thought they were doing their best to manage their grief, but Linda says their children, especially daughter Jenny, thought otherwise. Jenny visited the Richmond SPCA on a tour the day before Good Friday. It was a dog she saw in the care of our veterinary services team that led her to call her mother.

"You don't have to keep her," Jenny assured Linda, knowing their memories of Henry were still fresh and painful. "She just needs a temporary foster home until her eye surgery."

She was a little white dog who was named Sassy by our staff. Some might call her a designer dog or a cocktail breed. Sassy had come a long way to catch Jenny's eye and trigger that call to Linda. Found on the streets of Los Angeles County, she had a bruised shoulder, dislocated kneecap, ear infection, flea infestation and green discharge from her right eye when she arrived at an already overcrowded California municipal shelter. Her fortunes changed when she was placed on a van traveling across the country to the Richmond SPCA.

Linda and Jim met Sassy the Saturday before Easter, and our adoption center manager Carly Sgueo described the little dog's condition and the efforts of our veterinary services staff to return her to health. Typical treatments for Sassy's eye infection had been unsuccessful because the dog had no ability to produce tears in her right eye, leading to painful dryness and chronic infections. Linda says, "I began weeping and this trembling, white and caramel-colored little thing began licking the tears on my cheeks."

The Hobgoods agreed to two weeks of foster care until the date set for surgery on Sassy's right eye. It was on Easter that Jim began calling the little dog Lily. On Easter Monday, Linda felt it would be cruel to leave her home all alone and took Lily with her to class at the University of Richmond where she is the director of the Speech Center.

"No group of human beings can be more compassionate than college undergrads," Linda declared. "All through class they just stroked her trembling back and legs… until she drifted off to sleep on the lap of a kindly freshman."

Lily also worked wonders on visits with Linda's parents. "She took Dad's mind off his cancer and what lies ahead," she said.

The appointed day came for Lily to return to the Richmond SPCA for surgery. The procedure, called parotid duct transposition, was performed by Dr. Michael Blair at Animal Eye Care of Richmond thanks to the Cinderella Fund resources raised at the 2011 Fur Ball. The surgeon carefully dissected and moved the parotid duct so that Lily's salivary gland can replace her inadequate tear production with saliva to keep her eyes moist.

The Saturday after her successful surgery Lily became a permanent member of the Hobgood family. Linda emailed family and friends with the announcement of their new addition, which she closed with the observation, "They call her a rescue dog, but I'm not sure who rescued whom."

Tabitha Frizzell Hanes is the director of communications for the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our commenting guidelines.

October 09, 2012

Last week began a new year at the Richmond SPCA – a new fiscal year which runs Oct. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2013. This new year is off to a tremendous start with 65 adoptions! While we were three short of our goal of 68 adoptions, for each of the 19 dogs and 46 cats who are now in loving homes, we count it a great success. Our goal for the week ahead is to match 80 pets with adoptive homes.

Just as one might ring in the calendar year with celebrations, we start our fiscal year with a ball. The 14th Annual Fur Ball was Friday, Oct. 5, and we'll bring you more about the success of that event on our blog later this week. During the Fur Ball, we presented a video that showcases the Richmond SPCA's accomplishments for the dogs and cats who rely on us. These numbers tell our story, and each of you who have supported our work by adopting, making a donation, fostering a pet, volunteering your time, and more are all a part of that lifesaving story. We hope you will watch the video, which is available on YouTube, and share it.

Adoption specials

During the month of October, we have two ongoing adoption specials. Each Wednesday this month is Waggin' Wednesday, and all dog adoptions are discounted 15 percent. On Feline Fridays all cat adoptions will be 15 percent off the regular $99 adoption fee. All pets adopted from the Richmond SPCA are already spayed or neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations and microchipped. Learn more about our adoption process on our website.

Off-site adoption events

This Saturday, Oct. 13 you can find our Tail Wag'N at the newest Richmond-area Petco store in Carytown from noon to 4 p.m. We will have dogs and cats on board, and we also have cats housed inside the Carytown Petco who are available for adoption daily.

Windsor Farms' Fall Picnic is this Sunday, Oct. 14, and our Tail Wag'N will be part of the festivities with dogs and cats available for adoption on the Church Green in front of Grace Baptist Church from 3-6 p.m.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

October 03, 2012

On Monday we brought you the terrific news that as our fiscal year came to a close on Sunday evening, we matched our 3,502nd pet with a loving family. The Sept. 30 ending of our fiscal year also ended a wonderful adoption week in which 70 pets (28 dogs and 42 cats) were placed. Now we are beginning a new year with a goal of 68 adoptions this week.

Off-site adoption event:

The annual joint Blessing of the Animals service with Grace & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church is this Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. The pet-friendly event is held in Monroe Park, and Laurel Street will be closed in front of the church. Animals of all sizes and species are invited and will receive a special blessing. Our Tail Wag'N adoption vehicle will be on site until noon. Join the event on Facebook and invite friends!

Adoption Special:

During the month of October, we have two ongoing adoption specials. Each Wednesday this month is Waggin' Wednesday, and all dog adoptions are discounted 15 percent. On Feline Fridays all cat adoptions will be 15 percent off the regular $99 adoption fee. All pets adopted from the Richmond SPCA are already spayed or neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations and microchipped. Learn more about our adoption process on our website.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

October 01, 2012

When you are talking about saving lives, 3502 is a very big number. That is the number of adoptions of precious, formerly homeless, pets our remarkable adoption staff accomplished in our 2011-12 fiscal year which just ended on Sunday. When we adopted a cute little hound named Daffy to her new wonderful family on Sunday afternoon, we achieved the 3,500 success mark that our adoption team has been shooting for all year. Then, they did a couple more great adoptions before our Sunday adoption hours ended and the fiscal year was closed.

Every single adoption we do means another homeless cat or dog we can take out of a local government shelter or from a hoarder or abuser. That is why it is absolutely true when we say that every adoption we accomplish means another life saved. This is serious work and our staff, Board, volunteers and supporters fully realize that. These sweet and deserving pets depend on us for their lives. And, we saved more than 3,500 of them last year.

The lion’s share of the credit for that life-saving success goes to Carly Sgueo, our Senior Manager of Shelter Operations, and Day Newsome, our Assistant Manager of Adoptions, and their team of hard- working, smart and capable adoption counselors. I am so proud of and so grateful to every one of them. It was a tour de force of dedication, energy and hard work. But, of course, every volunteer, every donor, every supporter, and every staff member has played a crucial role in this life saving success. We could not do it without the committed efforts of everyone who turns his or her love for animals into real, meaningful action for the Richmond SPCA!

Another fiscal year has now begun, and we must set our minds and our efforts to saving every single homeless animal we possibly can again this year. But it is always good to take a moment to savor a job well done and to say a huge thanks to the wonderful people who made it happen. And, when that job well done means precious lives saved, it is a moment truly worth celebrating.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.